Finding You
by Teishi8806
Summary: Regina is desperate to get Henry and , yes, even Emma, back from New York. She can't function without them. She succeeds in placing herself in their path but must deal with the memory loss and the lack of her only vice: magic. SwanQueen. M rating will come in later.
1. Chapter 1

**I want to thank EvilRegality93 for being there and adding her brilliant touch to this story. If it weren't for her, I probably would never have even considered publishing it. So, thank you, dearest. I am looking forward to any response I get from this and if you feel like reviewing I would be more than appreciative. Beyond that, I don't have much else to say. Read on! **

Regina ran an idle hand over her once typical attire. The leather pants, she vaguely noticed, didn't breathe well and had begun to chafe her most delicate crevices. The thick brocade outer coat was beautiful and grotesquely over ornate and stiflingly hot. Her hair was another matter altogether. Spending the last three decades with it barely brushing past her shoulders left her grossly unprepared for the sudden up-do that felt as if it weighed ten pounds. A headache had already set in for the day.

"My my dearie, all dressed up and no one to pester."

"Shut your mouth you exhausting little imp."

"Testy testy. Such a shame. You are finally back where you belong and you don't seem to be enjoying a moment of it."

The former queen flung wisps of smoke towards Rumplestiltskin, not actually anticipating a hit, more as a warning of her waning patience. Henry's face flashed through her mind as the magic welled up. He wouldn't like her simply throwing it around because she was annoyed. He many not remember her but she keenly remembered him. He was that little speck of blinding light she held in her heart. He was what kept her from losing every part of her humanity.

"Leave me, you putrid creature."

Rumple, deciding to be uncharacteristically kind, left the grieving queen to herself with no more biting quips. He had his family and she did not, his shriveled heart went out to her.

"Sydney," Regina blandly called to the nearest looking glass as soon as the crusty gold man was out of sight. A watery blue face appeared in the reflection, ready to receive any command, "Find them for me."

"Your Majesty, you know that finding them in the other world is nearly impossible. I can make no guarantees of my success."

"I'll take my chances genie. You...you just do as you are told."

Sydney used every ounce of magic he had to stretch to the world without. He was relying on Emma's inborn abilities to draw him in to the right place.

Regina caught a blurred glimpse of a hand fading in and out of view stirring eggs. Though the view was smoky, she knew that the arm that was connected to the hand was wearing plaid flannel pajamas and not too far out of sight, blond hair was cascading wildly down the woman's back. Sound was too muffled to be sure, but she thought she could hear Emma's ridiculous classic rock playing in the background. She placed her trembling fingertips to the cold glass and on top of the hand holding the egg covered spatula. A ghost of a smile played on her lips as she recalled giving Henry's other mother memories of cooking healthy foods so their son wouldn't be fed junk all of the time. It started out as a bit of a joke, but now felt more like a thin and desperate connection between the two worlds.

...

"Hurry up, Kid!" Emma was running behind as usual. She hurriedly scrambled eggs and hoped that she had time to fry a few strips of bacon before they had to leave. She stole a glimpse at Henry to see what he was doing. He hadn't been the same recently and, if she were to be honest, neither had she. Over the last several days it felt like she had been forgetting something very important. It was nagging and it made her crazy. She had an insane urge to stop every woman in a power suit with black hair. She had nearly gotten herself in trouble one day by grabbing a woman's arm and insisting that she tell her who she was. Eventually, she had given up and apologized, but the feeling remained.

"Mom? Do I have to go to school today?"

Emma stopped stirring the eggs, "What's wrong? You sick?"

Henry scrunched up his nose trying to put words to the way he felt, "Not really, I don't know. I just don't feel right."

Emma felt for the kid, she knew the feeling exactly. She hadn't been feeling very well either. Women in power suits were awfully abundant in New York. She turned back to her cooking and was startled out of her musings by a strange shine in the chrome lining the hood of the stove. She had to laugh to herself a little; it looked like a pair of eyes was looking back at her. Not her eyes reflecting, but a pair of warm smoky brown ones. Beautiful, but impossible and the thought was dismissed as soon as her heart slowed to normal once again.

Emma looked over her shoulder at her sluggish son. He really hadn't been acting the same, not like he was wanting attention or that he needed a doctor, but there was something not right. It was like they were both missing something but neither knew just what.

...

Regina felt her stomach rise to the top of her throat for the split second Emma's eyes locked on hers. She couldn't decide between fear and elation at having a moment, however brief, with the woman she had trusted with her son. Her insides pulsed with adrenaline and for the first time since the curse had taken them back to the Enchanted Forest, she felt she could breathe. There was hope. If they could be found with her mirror the possibilities were suddenly less bleak.

"Your Majesty, do you require my services at this time? Or, would you prefer to be left alone?"

"Leave me genie, I have things to do and I can't have you hovering."

...

"Snow, honey, you need to get up. There is no use wasting away in bed when we have so much that needs to be done."

"How can you say that? Our daughter and grandson are God knows where in an entirely different world! I want my family..." Snow allowed hot tears to leak down her pale cheeks with no reservations. Her eyes had become clouded over the last months with despair for their displaced family. It was so much worse knowing what you were missing than not remembering it at all. This was supposed to be Regina's price to pay, but somehow, she had cosigned the deal without realizing.

"I know how you were when Cora died, Emma was right. You. Need. To. Get. Up. I'm not saying we should forget about them, but we need to find a way to move forward until we figure out something better. I love you and I refuse to let you rot in bed. Neither Emma nor Henry would have it either."

Snow smiled at David's inspirational speech. He was good at those. She almost gave in too, but the thought of having nothing epic to do kept her firmly planted in her place. Rumple was busy with Belle and Balefire, Regina was nearly keening in anguish the last time they had seen one another and everyone else was busy just trying to get their lives back in order. It was quite the shock at how used to modern conveniences they had all become. Plumbing, or the lack there of, was the biggest complaint.

Regina... Snow couldn't help but dwell on her face as they landed in the forest with a dull thud. She had seen the woman's transformation after Daniel had been murdered; she went from warm and kind to cold and deadly almost instantly. Her face after leaving Emma and Henry behind was that of a more broken creature than had ever existed before and her cries were barely human. Snow knew loss, but Regina was built of loss and regret.

...

Emma walked Henry to the steps of his school, P.S. 118. He smiled like the sweet boy he was and kissed her cheek goodbye. She smiled back at him and squeezed his hand to assure him that things would be alright. Everyone went through hard times, right? It was strange, though, to feel like something was missing when nothing had changed. It was simply a hole right in the middle of her chest and she suspected that Henry's mysterious affliction was much the same.

After Henry was old enough to worry about his mother, she had quit the bail bonds person gig and took up a tamer cashier position at the market just down from his school. She had come home with a long cut on her head from an enraged woman in a grave yard one night and he cried for a whole day that someone was going to kill her. So, instead of forcing the stress on a little boy, she made ends meet by scanning groceries and helping old women use debit cards.

"Hey, Em's!"

Emma looked up to see a woman she worked with trotting towards her with a stupid grin plastered on her greasy, over painted, face.

"What's up Abby?"

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Emma didn't honestly care about any work gossip, but she always played nice with the other women just in case she ever needed a baby sitter for Henry. They may have been brainless women, but they were always kind to the Kid.

"Adam is getting the boot today." Abby nearly drooled out that little tid bit of information like it was a piece of gooey candy.

"Why?" Emma feigned interest.

"He was caught letting some people walk out without paying. He says that he didn't see them, but it was pretty obvious when he waved goodbye on the security tape." Abby's eyes were glistening with pride at being the first to tell the blond about the hubbub.

Emma was actually impressed. She couldn't believe 'innocent' little Adam could do such a bold thing. It was rare that someone surprised her.

"Well, that was dumb, but did anyone ask him why he would do that?"

"Yes, but he won't say a word. I'm sure he has his reasons but letting someone steal won't be ignored. He's definitely getting fired." Abby sashayed away like she had just given Emma the keys to the city.

Emma rolled her eyes and tied the orange canvas apron over her jeans and shirt. She didn't care what Adam did, really. As long as she had her job and Henry, that was what was important.

...

Regina looked at her reflection in the ever present mirror by her side. It had only been months, but she had aged drastically. On closer inspection, she even found timid grey hairs sneaking their way through her raven locks by her temples.

Enough, she thought. Mourning the living was idiotic. She was done. There had to be a way to either get back to them or get them to the Enchanted Forest. She would have her family if it killed her. A fleeting moment of amusement hit her when she vaguely heard the echoes of the Charming's mantra of "I will always find you" in her own declaration, they had started rubbing off apparently.

Comparing herself to the Charmings didn't disgust her as much as it once would have. In a less dire situation, it would have been funny. She wondered what they were doing to find a way to see their daughter again. Perhaps, she mused, they could even collaborate on a plan. Would they trust her enough to include her with the "goodies"? Where did she even stand on the good and evil scale anymore? After Never Land, there wasn't any time to find her new nitch with the people.

Beyond the confused musings of a former evil queen, because she no longer considered herself evil, she wanted, no, needed, to find a way to get to Emma and Henry.

Emma?

Well, she did seem to be a byproduct of the boy, Regina would take her too, they seemed to be a package deal.

"Sydney..."

"My Queen?"

"Can you see them now?"

The Genie strained to gain any vision of Henry or Emma. Once again, he could only find a reflective surface with a hand here and a foot there to show the waiting queen. He knew she would become tired of such insubstantial glimpses after time; but, for now, they must do.

Regina steeled herself for whatever she would see in the glass. Throughout the months, she had seen many blurry visions of mundane tasks or, once, simply a sock clad foot. But even that foot made her want nothing more than to collapse weeping for the rest of eternity, to look but never touch was torture.

The view was finally focused enough for Regina to see that Sydney had zeroed in on Emma again. She wondered if that was because of the Savior's innate magical powers. She was interacting with a line of people in what looked like a grocery store. Her face showed signs of abject boredom at her job and a hint of distraction. Her reactions were just the slightest bit off kilter and Regina wondered if there was something going wrong in their lives. If only she could get a strong enough connection from the other world to be able to hear what was going on.

Regina watched with absolute attention to the other woman's eyes. Any hint of what was wrong could help. She resisted touching the glass to trace Emma's face again. It was cold, flat and hard and she vowed that the next time she reached for either of them it would be for real flesh.

Regina's heart thudded again. She wanted to touch Emma's face. She wanted to hold her thin but soft fingers in her hand again and caress them. She wanted to hold Henry until he couldn't stand it anymore and then for just a moment more. She wanted to run her hand through his hair that always smelled of the sun. Tears threatened again, but she swallowed hard and pushed through the lead weight in her chest.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

...

Emma walked Henry to the steps of his school, P.S. 118. He smiled like the sweet boy he was and kissed her cheek goodbye. She smiled back at him and squeezed his hand to assure him that things would be alright. Everyone went through hard times, right? It was strange, though, to feel like something was missing when nothing had changed. It was simply a hole right in the middle of her chest and she suspected that Henry's mysterious affliction was much the same.

After Henry was old enough to worry about his mother, she had quit the bail bonds person gig and took up a tamer cashier position at the market just down from his school. She had come home with a long cut on her head from an enraged woman in a graveyard one night and he cried for a whole day that someone was going to kill her. So, instead of forcing the stress on a little boy, she made ends meet by scanning groceries and helping old women use debit cards.

"Hey, Ems!"

Emma looked up to see a woman she worked with trotting towards her with a stupid grin plastered on her greasy, over painted, face.

"What's up Abby?"

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Emma didn't honestly care about any work gossip, but she always played nice with the other women just in case she ever needed a babysitter for Henry. They may have been brainless women, but they were always kind to the Kid.

"Adam is getting the boot today." Abby nearly drooled out that little tidbit of information like it was a piece of gooey candy.

"Why?" Emma feigned interest.

"He was caught letting some people walk out without paying. He says that he didn't see them, but it was pretty obvious when he waved goodbye on the security tape." Abby's eyes were glistening with pride at being the first to tell the blond about the hubbub.

Emma was actually impressed. She couldn't believe 'innocent' little Adam could do such a bold thing. It was rare that someone surprised her.

"Well, that was dumb, but did anyone ask him why he would do that?"

"Yes, but he won't say a word. I'm sure he has his reasons but letting someone steal won't be ignored. He's definitely getting fired." Abby sashayed away like she had just given Emma the keys to the city.

Emma rolled her eyes and tied the orange canvas apron over her jeans and shirt. She didn't care what Adam did, really. As long as she had her job and Henry, that was what was important.

...

Regina looked at her reflection in the ever present mirror by her side. It had only been months, but she had aged drastically. On closer inspection, she even found timid grey hairs sneaking their way through her raven locks by her temples.

Enough, she thought. Mourning the living was idiotic. She was done. There had to be a way to either get back to them or get them to the Enchanted Forest. She would have her family if it killed her. A fleeting moment of amusement hit her when she vaguely heard the Charming's mantra of "I will always find you" in her own declaration, they had started rubbing off apparently.

Comparing herself to the Charmings didn't disgust her as much as it once would have. In a less dire situation, it would have been funny. She wondered what they were doing to find a way to see their daughter again. Perhaps, she mused, they could even collaborate on a plan. Would they trust her enough to include her with the "goodies"? Where did she even stand on the good and evil scale anymore? After Neverland, there wasn't any time to find her new nitch with the people.

Beyond the confused musings of a former evil queen, because she no longer considered herself evil, she wanted to find a way to get to Emma and Henry.

Emma?

Well, she did seem to be a byproduct of the boy, Regina would take her too.

"Sydney..."

"My Queen?"

"Can you see them now?"

The Genie strained to gain any vision of Henry or Emma. Once again, he could only find a reflective surface with a hand here and a foot there to show the waiting queen. He knew she would become tired of such weak views after time; but, for now, they must do.

Regina steeled herself for whatever she would see in the glass. Throughout the months, she had seen many blurry visions of mundane tasks or, once, simply a sock clad foot. But even that foot made her want nothing more than to collapse weeping for the rest of eternity, to look but never touch was torture.

The view was finally focused enough for Regina to see that Sydney had zeroed in on Emma again. She wondered if that was because of the Savior's innate magical powers. She was interacting with a line of people in what looked like a grocery store. Her face showed signs of abject boredom with her job and a hint of distraction. Her reactions were just the slightest bit off kilter and Regina wondered if there was something going wrong in their lives. If only she could get a strong enough connection from the other world to be able to hear what was going on.

Regina watched with absolute attention on the other woman's eyes. Any hint of what was wrong could help. She resisted touching the glass to trace Emma's face again. It was cold, flat and hard and she vowed that the next time she reached for either of them it would be for real flesh.

Regina's heart thudded again. She wanted to touch Emma's face. She wanted to hold her thin but soft fingers in her hand again and caress them. She wanted to hold Henry until he couldn't stand it anymore and then for just a moment more. She wanted to run her hand through his hair that always smelled of the sun. Tears threatened again, but she swallowed hard and pushed through the lead weight in her chest.

...

Emma sighed as she pushed tomatoes and heads of lettuce into canvas bags for customers. Adam did indeed get sacked that morning and that left a new position open. She hated getting new employees; they always tried to be her best friend and didn't understand that she didn't have any. Abby even knew not to press for interaction beyond work or watching Henry.

She felt it again. The same feeling of being watched that had been happening more and more often. The line was dwindling so she had a brief opportunity to glance around to see if there was anything suspicious. Maybe she had a stalker from her days of being a bail bonds person, it wouldn't surprise her. Emma had helped to recapture a lot of people. She happened to look up to the screen that told the people how much they owed. It looked like her reflection at first, but the longer she stared the more she saw things that shouldn't have been there. It was those eyes again. Something wasn't right.

Emma's eyes were green and she found them utterly unremarkable. The eyes staring back at here were much more. She couldn't quite make out the exact color but it was obvious they were dark and full of...sadness. She lifted her fingers to touch the reflective screen. The dark orbs drew her in and made her feel little butterflies swirling around in her stomach.

...

Regina was transfixed on Emma. They were making eye contact from worlds away and neither of them knew what to do with the feelings inside. Emma didn't even know what she was looking at. The brunet watched the other woman's fingertips brush along where her brow would be and swore she could feel the warm touch gracing just above her eyes.

Emma's eyes were deep and confused and spectacular. Regina couldn't believe she had never noticed how beautiful she was before. She was glad that Henry shared the blonde's genetics; his fair features were, thankfully, not from the paternal side.

Abruptly, Sydney was back where Emma's face had been.

"I didn't tell you to break the connection, Genie!"

Regina felt rage bubble in her stomach at being ripped from her musings. She glared at the glass man staring benignly back at her.

"Your Majesty, I was pushed away. Something crowded out my influence and broke the connection." He couldn't do much else but stare and wait for a response from the irritated queen.

"I'm leaving."

"Shall I order your carriage be prepared?"

"No, I am leaving this world. I'm done here."

Sydney watched as the woman spun around and stalked off towards the chamber door.

Regina had had enough. Her heart was pounding so hard it could be seen pumping through the thick layer of clothing and it wasn't all due to her anger. She needed those people on the other side of the mirror or she would simply cease to exist.

She traveled in a thick cloud of violet smoke to the docks in Eric's kingdom.

"Ariel!" Regina didn't mean to scream the mermaid's name, but she wanted to be heard the first time.

The mermaid popped her head around a corner in alarm, "Regina? Is there something I can help you with?"

Regina sighed before she started but did not apologize for the rude summons, "I need a way to pass through the realms."

"And how can I help you with that? You're the one with magic, not me." Ariel was feeling a bit on edge not knowing what mood the queen was in. Her face said sad and reserved while her voice and posture said murder.

"Thank you for stating the obvious. I was implying that your kind can pass through them without beans or other magical portals. I want to know how... I… need… to know how." Regina's voice broke at the admission.

Ariel's face softened to one of sympathy for the regal woman. She could see desperation in her beyond all of the smoke and mirrors and pitied her.

"I don't know how we do it. I'm truly sorry for that. The only advice I can give is to ask Ursula for the knowledge."

Regina's face fell, if possible, further than it was when she had arrived. Ursula wasn't her biggest fan after the little imitation before the first curse.

"Regina?" Arial was tentative but firm.

"Yes?"

"I am so sorry for your loss. I will do what I can to help if you only let me know what you need."

Regina was distantly curious as to why the aquatic princess would give her any kindness but accepted. She couldn't help but put on a sad little smile for the red head. People were constantly amazing her since the return to the Enchanted Forest. Some, she might even consider a friend.

...

Henry kicked off his shoes when he and his mother entered their apartment. He had homework to do but was avoiding it at all costs. He had felt so rotten lately that his interests only centered around sleeping and watching mindless television. He knew Emma could feel what he was feeling, but like him, didn't know what to do with it.

Emma watched her son and felt a pang in her heart for him. Maybe she should consider calling around for therapists for both of them. This was obviously a funk that had them at their worst. She tried to think about everything that could be affecting them like diet and exercise. She knew they were active enough, but maybe they could start eating a little better. Perhaps, they could cut the bacon out a couple days per week.

Henry was feeling tired. He gathered his backpack and went to his room. Emma could only stare after him and continue her constant worrying. She turned around and faced the stove to stare at the chrome strip across the top. Twice in one day she saw a pair of breathtaking eyes that weren't her own looking back. She knew that sounded crazy, but nothing could convince her otherwise.

Emma hadn't heard any noises coming from Henry's room in quite some time and assumed he was asleep. Poor kid, she thought to herself for the millionth time. Looking around the normally cluttered but clean apartment, she decided to pick up a few things that were lying around.

Henry had left a lonely sock by the bathroom door and a shoe by the plant window. She smiled; at least some things were normal. The coat closet, she happened to notice, was strangely ajar. They never used that closet for anything other than storage and she couldn't recall either of them having gone anywhere near it.

She shuffled tired feet to the dusty little corner and tried to push the door closed. It wouldn't shut. Emma looked down to see what had stopped the movement and discovered a large brown leather-bound book. She picked it up and blew the dust off of the cover to reveal ornate gold lettering.

"Once..." she had to run her thumb over the next couple words to make them out they were so dirty, "Upon A Time. Huh?" She shut the door and walked to the couch to examine her find.

The book was heavy and old. The pages were beginning to yellow and curl at the corners and it had a hand crafted quality about it. She opened the cover to see what looked like a dedication page written with a calligraphy pen.

"'To my dearest ones,' how sweet."

Emma turned the next page and nearly dropped the book to the floor. A simple picture adorned the page. A blond woman wearing a red leather jacket sitting in an old yellow Volkswagon Bug talking to a young boy she could have sworn was Henry.

...

"And you're sure this will work?" Ariel arched an eyebrow.

"No, but I have high hopes."

Regina missed antacids. Her stomach was rolling from nerves. Ariel had helped come up with a plan to make first contact with Emma and Henry's world and it was a long shot. The book had gotten Henry to believe before; she only hoped that it would again. She hadn't allowed anyone else to help create the new book. It started with Emma meeting Henry for the first time and continued all the way until Regina found herself looking through the mirror in to their apartment for the first time.

The book was also enchanted to plant seeds of belief as it was read. It couldn't force anyone to believe, but it would act as a catalyst. Emma was always a tough nut to crack, but Henry was her target. He had gotten the other woman to believe before and her belief was critical. Once the book was read, Sydney had planted a single wish. The hope was that between Regina's enchantment and Sydney's wish, one of them would wish for some sort of contact. It had to be one of them because the wish would only work for them.

After the book had been crafted to Regina's standards, Ariel had crossed realms and planted it in the apartment. From that moment on, Regina watched whenever she could. She was more careful though, Emma had seen her twice in one day. As much as she wanted to be seen, it wasn't good for the overall mission. She didn't want Emma to think she was crazy; that would only shut them out further.

...

Emma fixed a cup of hot chocolate with her signature sprinkle of cinnamon and sat down to inspect the strange book further. The first page had sent shivers down her spine and now her interest was piqued. The book smelled and felt old and the pages were thick.

As Emma read on, her heart pounded harder. The main character looked and sounded just like her and even had the same name. She was always fighting with a raven haired mayor. The boy the two warring woman shared, she could have sworn, was Henry. The story went on and on about how Henry had found Emma through a biological parent search and brought Emma to a town called Storybrooke and she became the sheriff. Book Henry had been given up for adoption and adopted by the Mayor. It made the blonde's head spin at how close to reality some of the content came. It was like the book knew her and was showing how things would have gone if she had followed through with the intended adoption so long ago.

Snow White was supposed to be her mother. That made Emma laugh because it was a hilarious thought that Prince Charming and Snow White were her parents. How many times had she dreamed of just that during her years in the foster system? But, no one knew their fairytale identities because the dark haired Mayor was really an evil witch who cursed an entire land! Emma had to smile at the creativity of whoever made the book. However creepy it was to be the subject of all that hard work, it was a little funny. They had a great imagination.

Emma put the book down after realizing that she had already read through half of it and decided that Henry would get a kick out of it. Maybe, if she were lucky it would make him smile. She actually felt a little better after reading the book.

...

"It's been months. Have you heard from Regina?" Snow looked at her husband. When Ariel first told them of Regina's plan with the book and the wish, she had been overjoyed. She had figured that Henry would read the book and immediately move things along. That apparently wasn't the case though.

"I talked to her yesterday, Honey, but nothing yet. She is wasting away waiting on them to figure it out. The other world is a hard place to believe in magic. It may never work. That was always a possibility and you both have known that from the beginning." Charming looked at his wife and found only despair. She refused to even acknowledge the tiny human growing inside of her until Emma and Henry were recovered. He didn't know how to help her. Talking to Regina was no help either; she was, if possible, even more desperate than Snow to have them back.

The sorrow Charming saw around him was crushing sometimes. He had never held any love for the Queen, but even she made it in to his well wishes lately. It wasn't that he didn't miss his daughter and grandson, because he did, it was just that he didn't let it consume him.

...

"Mom?" Henry screwed up his face knowing he was getting ready to sound silly.

"What's up Kid?"

"Have you ever wondered if, maybe, this book could really be about us? You know, not just look like us and have our names, but really be something special?" He drew in a deep breath after spitting his words out as fast as possible.

Emma put down the pen she was using to figure bills. She had thought about it, probably more than she would ever admit to even Henry. The book had worked as well as she had hoped, maybe even better. He was plugged in to life again and wanted to talk to her and try to research things again. He was, simply, himself.

"I don't know, maybe. It's a little creepy though. Someone really tried to get it right, didn't they?" She didn't want to crush his hope but at the same time didn't want to fill his head with impossibilities. She couldn't help but read certain parts over and over and wish for them to be true.

Henry had grown up with a single mother, but a mother that would do anything for him. She had grown up in the foster system unloved and often mistreated to one degree or another and reading that Snow White and Prince Charming were her mom and dad was a fantasy she let herself secretly have. And the brown eyed woman, Regina, well that was a different wish altogether.

Emma knew by the story that they hated each other on the outside, but so much was beneath the snide comments and snarky attitudes. By the end of the book, her character and Regina were almost friends but it seemed like so much more.

The thought of being with a woman, even a non-fairytale woman, made Emma giggle to herself. It was a fun thought, but not one she found herself acting on any time soon. It would take a lot of soul searching.

"Yeah, down to the right license plate number on the car. And, who my dad is and a lot of other stuff." Henry raised an eyebrow at his thoughtful mother, daring her to argue with his sound logic, "I know you read it when I go to bed. Just admit it makes you wish it were real."

Emma shook her head at Henry's persistence. He was a remarkably stubborn kid most of the time, "Okay, yes Henry, I do. I read that damn book when you are asleep because it makes me feel better for whatever strange reason, just like it does for you. And yes..."

Emma paused, feeling something strange about what she was going to say. A charge in the air was daring her to spit it out, "I really do wish that the things in this book were here in our world. Maybe then we could, you know, put down real roots."

A sudden flash of charged electricity filled Emma's chest as the words crossed her lips. It was as if someone was pumping straight oxygen in to her lungs and she could breathe for the first time.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Regina was once again sitting at her vanity. She hadn't dressed properly for weeks and her eyes were so dark around the edges it wasn't possible to discern smudged makeup from sleep deprivation. It had been near six months since Ariel had placed the book in the apartment and she had watched Emma and Henry both read it over and over again. Perhaps, she thought, there was a problem in the enchantment. Magic didn't ever work the same in that world.

Henry did seem happier, from what she could see of him that is, after reading the first few chapters. Emma looked wistful as she read. What made the wait so hard was, she knew both of them were thinking the wish but couldn't bring themselves to speak it out loud as a statement. Damn how stubborn both mother and child could be.

On a particularly depressing evening, Regina cooled her tear streaked face on the marble counter top trying to not look up to the mirror. She had developed an addiction to watching them but it only made her feel worse. Out of nowhere, she felt a spark.

Purple smoke started at her feet and, with no warning, she was engulfed.

...

Henry was insistent on staying up late that night. It was Friday and Emma had zero excuse for making a near thirteen year old boy go to bed at nine. He was also insistent that they continue the book discussion. Emma flat out refused to talk about her 'parents', so conversation had turned to Regina.

"What if she really raised me for eleven-ish years and we just can't remember? Would you have given me up for adoption? Did you want to? Why did you keep me even though you were in jail?" Emma was pretty sure the Kid didn't require the same amount of breathing as the rest of the world.

"Whoah! Slow down. I can't even remember what you were asking." Emma's head was spinning. One little admission had set him off for the last hour.

"Regina sounds like a hard person to get along with. I'm not sure if she and I would really have much in the way of a relationship you would want to be around. I don't think she's as evil as some in the story, but she might need a little more of Dr. Hopper's help before we could be friends." Emma smiled. Maybe this fantasy talk could be fun.

...

Regina felt the weight of her hair diminish and the feeling of her heavy coat and leather pants was gone. Instead, she was back in her skirt, shirt and soft cotton blend coat right out of her closet in Storybrooke. Sounds around her were unfamiliar in their intensity and a quick look around told her that she was nowhere near a place like Storybrooke. This place was big and loud and fast. What had Emma gotten herself in to?

Regina hesitated to make her first step; she was certain that if she moved she would be run down by a yellow taxi or some bike messenger.

"What to do now?" She muttered to herself. The regal woman suddenly felt very small and even a tad scared. She had no clue as to where she needed to go to find the blond or her son and also was becoming very aware of how cold the swirling air around her was. The thin coat was not enough to mute the effects of winter in New York.

"Watch it, Lady!" A man whizzed by, nearly knocking Regina over. Her irritation blazed up like a roaring flame and she flicked her wrist to show him just who he was talking to. Nothing. Magic didn't exist in that world and she had already forgotten.

Fear struck the woman hard. Shivers ran up Regina's spine, not only from the sub-zero temperatures but from the realization that she had nowhere to be. In all the months of planning, she had never considered what she would do once she made it to the magic-less realm. That only went to prove how addled she had let her mind become in the presence of sorrow.

Regina started walking with nothing else to keep her warm and, almost more importantly, to keep sheer panic from taking over. _How fitting, _she thought, _I finally make it simply to die of exposure before I even glimpse them. _She refused to cry even though the frustration and disappointment threatened to overwhelm the freezing queen.

…...

Emma was alone for the first time in a while. Henry had decided to stay with his friend in the next hallway. She felt a warm tingling in her heart. Ever since she and Henry had their conversation about the book, something had just felt better. She might even go so far as to make a special trip out to treat herself right. She lifted her cup of hot chocolate to cautious lips blowing off the steam while trying not to disturb the sprinkle of cinnamon.

She held the book on her lap as she had many time since it was found. The book was captivating and she really did wish that it was real. It would be better, in some ways, if it was. Henry didn't know how close she was to really giving him up and she often wondered if that would have been the right thing to do. Since she started reading the book, she thought of all the ways a woman like Regina could have provided so much better for him than her. Sure, the woman had her issues, but she really did love Book Henry.

Love wasn't the issue, love was there. She was scared. What if she couldn't keep up with her job? What if she lost it emotionally? It was a daily struggle to hold on to their happy little life. She had considered therapy to help deal with her troubled past but she always found an excuse to cancel the appointments. What she needed was a friend. A person to talk to that would give honest opinions without honey coating them to avoid hurting the blonde's feelings. That was why the women Emma worked with never made it past babysitter material. They always ended up trying to mother her or make her feel like her past didn't matter anymore, what little they figured out of it anyway. They made light of everything, thinking that that was what she wanted. She wanted someone like the snarky, harsh, bitchy, honest and raw woman in the book. Emma read Regina's story over and over. The idea of a wounded woman who did all that she could to keep it all together when there was no one else was a familiar one. She could be friends with that woman.

….

Regina was numb. Numb and lost. She wondered many times how Emma could stand living in such a hard place. The cold and the sharp edges and the crabby attitudes made her own shriveled heart seem warm and loving.

She was done with walking. She found a brightly lit market just across the street that looked fairly innocent and inviting. If nothing else, she could warm up for a few minutes and focus on a better plan.

"Good evening ma'am!" The overly enthusiastic cashier chimed as Regina stalked her way inside the oasis of heat and light.

"Good evening to you as well madam." If she was going to reply to such lowly banter she would do it with poise and dignity.

Regina walked up and down the aisles purposely avoiding the frozen section. Her stomach rumbled angrily at not having eaten in some great time. She was well familiar with how money in that world worked and refused to be reduced to a common criminal to sate a primal need though. She was not starving yet.

Blood worked its way back to her cheeks and ears, which made thinking of a plan slightly easier. In such a large city, it would be difficult to simply ask if anyone had seen Henry or Emma but why not eliminate the obvious choices first. It couldn't hurt. Who knew, fate may even be on her side for once.

….

Henry was gone. Emma finally let that fact sink in. She hadn't had a glass of wine in a long time and found that she would very much like one instead of her usual can of cheap beer. She didn't bother changing out of her p.j.'s seeing as how she would only be skipping down to the market where she worked. There was a nice selection that she knew had been recently stocked.

The blonde pulled her favorite red leather jacket tighter around her chest and arms as she made her way towards the market. She hadn't realized how cold it was until she was already walking down the sidewalk and she wasn't going back to change. The store wasn't that far anyway.

As Emma approached the double sliding doors she saw that Abby was still there.

"Uggghhh." Emma groaned, not wanting to be stopped by the nice yet irritating woman.

She bit the bullet in the name of cheap wine, though, and plunged in to the warmth of the market head first.

"Hi, Abby!" Emma chirruped brightly with the idea of heading the enthusiastic woman off before she could even get a word in.

"Well hi, Emma! What brings you here so late?" So much for plans working.

"Henry is at a friend's and I was in the mood for a glass of wine. I was just going to run in here really quick and run out. It's cold out and I want to get home fast." There, maybe that would make it clear.

"Well, alright. I get off in an hour. Call me if you want some company, alright Honey?" Abby smiled her saccharine smile as Emma nearly bolted to the booze aisle.

….

"Well hi, Emma!" Regina's ears perked up like a cat's. Could she have been so lucky? Perhaps Sydney's wish had brought her closer than expected.

"Henry's at a…" The queen's heart nearly exploded in her chest. Who else could it be?! She sprinted to a safe spot to get a look at the voice that even sounded like Emma's just to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.

There she was. Suddenly, Regina's mouth went bone dry and her knees went wobbly. What would she say to the woman who had no idea that story book characters really existed? She hadn't been so nervous since the day she had pushed her mother into the mirror to Wonderland.

She didn't have to wait long before she would find out what would happen though. Just as she was about to turn around to think a little harder on what she would do, Emma bumped in to her shoulder. Hard. She fell backwards in to a display of apples of all things.

"Oh!" Regina squeaked as the hard round fruits started to scatter around both of them.

"Oh, shit!" Emma gasped, "I am so sorry. Here." She held out a hand to the fallen woman to help her up.

….

Emma couldn't help her gaping mouth. It was her. Regina. From the book. A deep and insecure part of her said to be afraid, but excitement and imagination took over.

"It's you?" Emma breathed as she watched the woman struggle with the apples she had been shoved in to. She continued to hold out her hand stupidly even though the brunet woman couldn't take it in her particular position. That position just happened to be slowly tripping to the floor again and again on the rolling apples and high heels.

Emma shook her head. Viewing the situation from a sane person's point of view, as she put it in her head, she could see that the other woman needed much more than a simple hand up. Emma leaned over and put her arm around the thin waist to steady the woman and help to walk her away from the dangerous fruit.

"Are you alright? I am so sorry! I wasn't paying any attention." Emma stared at the fathomless brown eyes that were staring, equally captivated, at her own green ones.

The woman pretended to dust off her coat and check herself for injury before she spoke, "I'm fine. A little shaken, but apples happen to be my favorite so all is forgiven."

Emma took this to be a dry attempt at a joke so she smiled. It might have even amused her a little. The voice that came out of that mouth, though, was exactly how she had imagined Book Regina's to be. It was alluring, dark and, in this moment, a little vulnerable. Emma's heart pounded at her fanciful thoughts of evil queens coming to life.

Deciding to take a chance, because how could things get much weirder, Emma offered her name just to see what the other's reply would be, "I'm Emma. Emma Swan. And I, again, am so very sorry for trying to make applesauce of you." She held out her hand again but this time in greeting and a real smile at her own joke graced her thin pink lips.

….

Regina felt slow witted after falling in to the mound of fruit and then being rescued by none other than Emma Swan. What was her name again, she should know this one? Oh, yes, "My name is Regina. Regina Mills. And, it is quite alright. Accidents do happen, don't they dear?" She put on her best smile to put Emma at ease. She couldn't risk scaring her off with too much of what needed to be said. Yet.

Regina took Emma's outstretched hand firmly and tried to shake it but it seemed the other woman had also become slow witted. Her mouth hung slack and her eyes were the size of saucers.

"Is there a problem?" Regina tried to sound ignorant of the blonde's plight. She knew that Emma recognized her name from the book and she almost regretted not picking another until the time was right. But, too late now, it was done.

"I…I…I just…you are very familiar. I swear, you are in a book I've been reading." Regina couldn't help the urge to chuckle at Emma's confusion. Some things would never get old between the Evil Queen and the Savior.

"Oh?" Regina said, trying her best to sound mildly amused at most, "What a funny coincidence. What book would that be?"

"It's called Once Upon A Time. My son, Henry, and I found it one day. Strangest thing." Emma was obviously trying to regain balance.

"That sounds fascinating. Is it any good?" Regina smiled again, feigning ignorance. She had no idea where she was going with this conversation but she hoped that it would somehow gain her access to Emma and Henry's life in a more concrete way.

"It is." Emma finally smiled a real smile back at Regina that had nothing to do with witty jokes.


End file.
